Page 23 - midJersey Business - May 2015

SPORTS AND BUSINESS

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young guys and help them when they have Not only did I make varsity my sopho- was going to National Association of Mi-
problems. I’m very blessed that the Giants more year, I was Parade Magazine Player nority Automobile Dealers meetings and

let me keep a taste of football, and I also got of the Year. My dad bought me a brand- stopping by diferent dealerships to gain
to pursue my dream of the car business.
new Mustang right of the showroom loor, all the knowledge that I could.

and he busted his butt to pay for that car
every month. When I went to college, I got

Have you always loved cars?
a new Mustang, and in the pros, I couldn’t Before the dealership could open, you
wait to buy a truck. I would buy all sorts
had to work through some legal wran-

l When I was in the eighth grade, my dad of car magazines and books. I probably gling with a nearby Honda dealer who
told me I’ll buy you any kind of car you spent more time studying them than my tried to block the move. How dificult

want if you make the varsity football team. playbook (laughs). I just love cars.
was that for you?
He said that because I wasn’t on anyone’s

radar. I went to Carter High School in Dal- l It was kind of like when I was pursuing
las—one of the top-rated high school foot- When did you know you wanted an NFL career. I was a top-rated college

ball teams in the nation. In ninth grade, to open a dealership?
player and had great dreams. When I
the coach asked what position everyone blew my knee out at Miami, it was a

played. The guy next to me said linebacker. l During my last three years, I realized major setback. Nobody wants to deal with

I was about the same size as him, so I said, my career was coming to an end. Don’t get you—everyone turns sideways when they
“I play linebacker, too.” I went home and me wrong, I never wanted it to be over, but see you coming. So, since then, I’ve been

went right to the encyclopedia. I had no realistically, I had so many diferent knee prepared for obstacles, and I had to dig
idea what a linebacker did.
and shoulder injuries. During that time, I
into my football days.

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